Finland is known as the country of the thousand lakes! Lake district

Ten percent of the land is covered by the lakes. Per capita there are about 0.7 hectare of lake area and 37 meter of shoreline in Finland. The number of lakes that is larger than 1 hectare is about 56000. If all ponds larger than 0.05 hectare were included the number would be 188.000. The number of lakes larger than 100 km2 is 47. The total area of lakes is 33.600 km2. As the lakes are shallow, the main depth being only 7 meter, their total volume of 230 km3 would only fill the basin of Lake Vänern, Sweden greatest lake. Most of Finlands great lakes are situated in the central and eastern parts of the country between latitudes 61N and 64 N. Finlands largest lake is Gredt Saimaa with its surface of 4380 km2. It has 13.710 islands and 14.850 km of shoreline. The surface of its upper basins by the towns Joensuu and Varkaus is 10 cm above the surface of the basin known as lake Saimaa, connected to the upper basins by 200 km of narrows and quiet waters. The largest lakes are not frozen before the middle of December. The ice breaks around the first of May. 

Most of Finlands inland waters are still clean. The waterbodies are originally oligotrophic. 

Watercourses have been of great importance in the development of settlement, trades and recreational activities. The use of watercourses as channels for transportation and as a source of energy has greatly influenced the development of the entire community structure. Also wood is transported by the watercourses, 15 untill 20 percent of the wood is supplied to the factories is transported by floatage. Big agglomerations have developed at rivermouths or on the shore of the lakes. In this densely populated areas, the water quality has deteriorated. The shores are often so built up that community development has become difficult. Good quality water for the needs of settlements of industry is not available everywhere. The badly polluted inland water areas are to be found in the southern part of lake Saimaa, the northern and the central parts of lake Päijänne and the central lakes of the river Kokemäenjoki water system. Of the total lake area 80% is of excellent or good, 18% is satisfactory and 2% of passing or poor usibility. Pollution is cost by paperfactories, the big metal industry and chemical industry. 

During the present a lot of waterpower has been used for the production of electricity. 

Finland has good lakes for fishing. Fishing used to be an important source of income for the population. The Finnish waters are also increasingly important for the recreational purposes and for tourism. The bathing period, which is defined as the period when the watertemperature is 18C, is 30 days long in the lakedistrict and 40 days in South Finland. 

The building of new vacationhouses is liveliest in the lakedistrict. Boating in all its forms is a popular activity. Canoening is also very popular. You can also go waterskiing on the lakes, the feeling of all but walking on the water is something you will never forget. There is an opportunity to go rafting. With rare exceptions it is an relatively safe sport. 

We hope we informed you enough about the lakedistrict. If you want to read more about it, you can check these web-pages: land of the lakesnice pictures

Regards, 

Hanneke van de Vranden Sandra Hofmann Marije van Onna